Question for Dr. vom Saal: Are the "minute amounts" of biphenyl A in dental sealants cause for concern in teens? Thank you!!!

To what extent will temperature differences of liquids in the container affect the level of Bisphenol A concentration and potential exposure. Thank you. Dr. R. Thron

Good morning everyone and welcome to today's CHE's Partnership call.

Question 1. To reduce the effect of BPA on an individual or population, how would you prioritize the reduction or elimination of exposures ( i.e., baby bottles for infants, canned food for pregant women? dental sealants for any age)? Question 2. How does BPA compare in potency and endocrine-disrupting effect to other xenoestrogens (phthalates, pesticides), phytoestrogens (soy products), pharmceutical estrogen (birth control pills, HRT) or natural estrogens? Thank you.

Isn't the BPA used in epoxy resins in brominated form? As is the BPA used in other plastics as a flame retardant? Could you talk a little bit about the difference between BPA and its brominated forms in terms of toxicological implications?

Epoxy resins are made primarily from BPA mixed with epichlorohydrin - another highly toxic compound. --- Tom Lent, HBN

Link for 'does dose make the poison' http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/NewScience/lowdose/2007/2007-0525nmdrc.html

What are solutions for disposal of the BPA-laden products already on the market? How do we avoid the problem of toxics-laden products ending up on dollar store shelves where many low-income people buy them without knowing what's in them?

Exactly what do the numbers mean on the bottom of plastic bottles, and why is the "7" bottle so different from the other number bottles?

Most attention has been devoted to oral liquid transfer pathways for human exposure. At HBN we are very interested to learn about any study of other pathways, including volatilzation (particularly during curing), dusting or adhesion to dust and dermal contact. There is significant usage of BPA in various building materials particularly polycarbonate materials and epoxies. Epoxies may be particularly of concern as they are cured on site in the building. We are interested to learn of what the potential risks may be for these uses - that is whether BPA moves by the other types of pathways I mentioned above in significant amounts and thus warrant avoidance and search for alternatives. --- Tom Lent, Healthy Building Network

Link to article in San Francisco Medicine that explores the conflict between endocrinology and toxicology: http://www.sfms.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&TEMPLATE=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=2506&SECTION=Article_Archives

What is happening to all of the products being taken off the shelves?

to Fred, Obvious Q: are the polycarb baby bottles disappearing off the shelves in Canada going to be showing up on US shelves? Are they being tracked?

Rick: what can you tell us about the CHAMP hazard based assessment program that EPA is working on, I believe sharing info with Canada (would it be Environment Canada?). James Gulliford, asst. admin for Pesticides & Toxic Substances mentioned it at a senate hearing on april 29. Could be improvement of TSCA?

Fred, You mentioned non-oral exposure to BPA as likely. What route of exposure. What sources of exposure? Lawrie

are there methods to detox bpa from our bodies?

With the push to reformulate consumer products containing BPA, what is know about the toxicity of substitutes?

Recycled paper is used in popular blown-in cellulose insulation. Its thought to be very green, in fact! Any information on BPA from this newspaper coming through the walls?

It seems that the anti-obesity movement is quite strong in the US. Do you think the science is strong enough linking BPA and obesity to consider partnering with them to encourage changes in policies or campaigns against food can and soda cans that are lined with BPA?

Monitoring and exposure analysis for BPA routes of exposure are required to protect infants in an effcient way. How can we get a strategy for doing total exposure monitoring and analysis to reduce exposure of infants to lead, pesticides, PAHs, and endocrine disrupotrs so we can set priorities for action?

If not on your site yet, please link to GAO report, Toxic Chemicals: EPA's New Assessment Process Will Increase Challenges EPA Faces in Evaluating and Regulating Chemicals. At the heart of Fred's last comment about federal procedure, and its being blocked by industry--through the OMB and the White House. Senator Boxer has yet another hearing today that speaks to this. She and some colleagues on the EPW committee are going to keep beating this drum--and she has said that she will get Congress to take this into its hands, the effect of which will be worse for the chemical industry in the end, than if they agreed to a REACH-like process here. Nice to hear that the EC/EU is re-considering BPA restriction or ban through REACH.

Update on bisphenol A. The scientific community has not reached consensus on the potential health effects of BPA to humans, but they are getting closer. This week, an independent panel of scientists, the BSC reviewed the National Toxicology Program's Draft Brief on BPA. The NTP's highest levels of concern in the Draft did not reach "concern" or "serious concern" for any effect. Furthermore, the BSC peer review of this Draft recommended lowering the levels of concern about the effects of BPA on puberty in females and effects on the mammary gland from "some concern" to "minimal concern". This means that all but two effects are rated as of "negligible" or "minimal" concern and two (neural and behavioral and prostate) are of "some concern". These levels of concern differ from those recommended by the NTP CERHR BPA Expert Panel in only 1 area (the prostate). http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/files/BSCactionsBPA_508.pdf